George Town Festival Grows Up, Goes Bold

Originally a local gathering, Penang’s George Town Festival today draws participants from all over the world.

Three weeks ago in George Town, Penang, scaffolding went up near the esplanade between George Town City Hall and Penang Town Hall. Not long after, the area between the two British colonial-era relics sprouted multiple giant bamboo ship hulls, startling passers-by and onlookers used to seeing an empty space.

The outsize structure, called the “Theatre of Ships,” is an installation by Indonesian artist Joko Avianto. It was commissioned as part of the George Town Festival, an annual month-long celebration of art, culture and history that kicks off on Friday.

George Town Festival

Joko Avianto’s ‘Theatre of Ships’

The GT Fest, as it’s known to Penang residents, is now in its fourth edition. Starting from modest roots – it was originally a local gathering commemorating George Town’s 2008 UNESCO world heritage designation – it today draws participants from all over the world.

On the roster this year: Flemish-Moroccan choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, who will present a dance work inspired by Shaolin Monks; Italian chamber orchestra I Musici; Belgian soprano Julie Mossay; American photographer Maggie Steber; and a group of calligraphy artists from China’s Henan province.

Festival organizers have built in a strong interactive element: In addition to performances and exhibitions, there will be workshops in art and design, as well as “101 Kittens,” a street art-powered treasure hunt designed to build animal awareness in Penang. What’s more, a century-old warehouse will be transformed into Singapore House, a pop-up retail space with a bookshop, art gallery, film installation and offerings by artisan retailers from Malaysia’s southern neighbor.

“Affordable, accessible, public. This is what we aim for with the Festival’s events,” says director and Penang native Joe Sidek, who hopes the GT Fest will not only lure visitors to the Malaysian island state but will also “expose local youth to other, global forms of culture.”

“Walking into a gallery can be intimidating,” he adds. “We want to open minds, and make people think.”

In a country where public funding for the arts is rarely given without strings attached, GT Fest’s organizers have enjoyed remarkable freedom in their programming, thanks to a policy of non-interference from the Penang state government, which has provided 3 million ringgit (more than $970,000) for this year’s event. The biggest hurdle for 2013 was obtaining the necessary permits from the Penang Municipal Council for the construction of Mr. Avianto’s boldly contemporary installation in between two heritage structures.

Mr. Sidek imagines that some festival goers might be inspired by works like “The Theater of Ships” and happenings such as “Arus Melayu” (June 15-16), two days of film, music and discussion that will explore the origins of the word, and the notion of what constitutes Melayu (Malay).

“We want to say ‘Be brave. Don’t be afraid,’” Mr. Sidek says.

The George Town Festival will run from June 7 to July 7 in various locations around George Town, Penang. Some events are ticketed. georgetownfestival.com